Moving toward “lot size one” requires extreme attention to plant logistics. Automated eKanban solutions combined with automated guided vehicles (AGV) can guarantee maximum production efficiency, with automated trains moving through the factory using the “milk run” method, delivering the required materials to the right place at the right time.
In the automotive industry, just-in-time delivery of materials to assembly points is no longer sufficient—materials must be delivered not only at the right time, but in the correct assembly order. In this scenario, mobile AGV equipped with smart sensors can work as automated “shooters,” replenishing individual assembly points as needed for each individual production order.
For further supply chain optimization, AGV can also function as a mobile FIFO rack directly beside an assembly point, which enables the rack to be used at different workstations as production requires. In this case, the reliable integration of sensor data allows the effective control of mobile material flow.
